The Dream
by inspiration99
Summary: One-shot prequel to the events of the novel. Curley's wife is at the Riverside Dance Palace, and she meets a man who promises to make her dreams of being a Hollywood star come true...


**The Dream**

In the little peaceful town of Salinas, the buildings were modest, small, and mottled. The Great Depression that had ripped through the nation left little towns in the west, such as this one, undecorated and deprived in both money and cheer. At dusk, when the sun slowly descended over the Californian valleys, the dusty, pockmarked streets were quiet as bits of newspaper and scattered dirt blew through them like tumbleweeds in the desert. Down the road, however, just around the block, was a small nightclub. The building was no bigger than its neighbors, and its white-washed walls were stained yellow with age. A dim, broken electrical sign blinked at the door, quietly announcing, _Riverside Dance Palace. _

But the inside of the dingy building was alive and roaring with the nightlife known only to the young people of Salinas. The lights flashed wildly and the jazz band was deafening as the men and women spun around with each other, dizzy and hot despite the fans that hung overhead.

In the corner, by the bartenders, stood a young brunette girl clad in a hand-me-down red dress hemmed with scarlet ribbons. She yanked on her ringlets restlessly as she watched the dancers, their bright skirts billowing like clouds as they twirled with their partners. In her distraction, a young man of small stature and tightly curled hair slammed into her.

"What the—watch where you're going, woman!" the man slurred as he pushed past her. His breath reeked of whiskey, and some of his drink splashed onto the girl's dress.

"H-Hey!" she shouted indignantly, wringing her hands. "What's with you?! Ain't your old lady taught you no manners?! Look here, now my dress got ruined!"

"What now? Are ya complainin'?" The young man shoved his face closed to hers and jeered. "It ain't even pretty! My old man got a rice sack more pretty than that!"

The girl's eyes widened and she felt tears rush to her eyes. But suddenly, amongst the loud music and people, a clear voice called out: "Oy, Curley! Get your drunken self back to the ranch! Ain't no pride takin' a'vantage of a lady!"

Suddenly, the intoxicated man was thrown off of her as she gasped for air. Another young man, this one taller and more well-dressed in a slick business suit with spiky blond hair, stood before her.

"Hey, now. Sorry 'bout that. Curley gets carried away when he got too much to drink." He chuckled and gulped down his glass of whiskey in one go. "Now, lil' girl, you got some fire. You know who could use someone like that?"

"…who?" she asked cautiously, still trying to smooth out her dress.

"Them pitchers. You ever seen a pitcher?"

The girl opened her mouth to reply, but the man cut her off. "Well, prob'ly not, not in this lil' place you call a town." He laughed and reached for another cup. "Now, a pitcher is where you sit in this dark room, an' a big screen comes up. Then these pitchers are on the screen, and they move and talk. People pay big money to see pitchers. Them stars in the pitchers is filthy rich, too, and they get to drink Shirley Temples all day long!"

"Moving pitchers and Shirley Temples?" the girl's mouth formed a silent _o _and she jumped with excitement. "That sounds swell! I wanna be in a pitcher, I'll do swell, I swear!"

The man laughed again and clapped her back. "I'll get my boss to sign ya up for sure. You're a natural, and we need some lassies who got spunk! Now, I got to be headin' back now, cuz we go to Hollywood tomorrow. I'll write to ya from there, alright?" The man gave a doff of his hat and moved towards to exit of the dance palace.

"Sure thing!" the girl grinned as the previous mishap with Curley was instantly forgotten. "I'm gonna be in them pitchers, an' my old lady can't do nothin' 'bout it!"

"Now, we in them pitchers like that spirit!" The man approved. "I'll send ya some postcards and letters from Hollywood, and we'll get ya to be on the silver screens. Now, see ya around!"

"Oh, yes!" she waved to him until his shadow disappeared out of the door. "I'm gonna in the pitchers at Hollywood, and drink Shirley Temples! It's my dream, and no one can stop it from comin' true!"


End file.
